Device for oiling windmills.



Patented Feb. 5, l90l. S. E. BURKE.

(Application filed 13, 1900.)

DEVICEFOR OILING WINDMILLS.

(No Model.)

.M Ml //4Il/ Fries.

FA'rnNr STEPHEN E. BURKE, OF EDON, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR OILING WINDMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,615, dated February5, 1901.

Application filed October 13, 1900. Serial No. 33,003. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN E. BURKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Edon, in the county of Williams and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Device for Oiling Windmills, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in oiling devices forwindmills, and has for its object the production of a simple andefficient agroupment of elements whereby oilchambers in communicationwith a series of oil-delivery pipes may be supplied with a predeterminedquantity of oil from a common reservoir.

Various objects subordinate to that stated will appear hereinafter asthe necessityfor their accomplishment is developed in the succeedingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my in- Vention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a general view illustrating theapplication of my oiling device to windmills. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical section, on a somewhat enlarged scale, through the oilingdevice. Fig. 3 is a sectionetl view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa similar View on the line44 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is still another viewon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the numerals employed to designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, 1 indicates a fragment of awindmill-tower; 2, the pump-rod housing; 3, the tail-vane, and 4 thehorizontal housing for the shaft 5 of awind-Wheel 6. As usualin thisclass of devices motion is communicated to the pump-rod 7 from the shaft5 through the medium of a pitman 8, connected at its upper end to awrist-pin 9, projecting from the pump-rod 7 and at its lower end to thewrist-pin 10 of a crank-wheel 11, mounted upon the rear end of awheel-shaft. The upper end of the pump-rod 7 is guided in a bearing-box12, carried by a bracket upstanding from the housing 4. Mounted upon theupper ends of the pump-rod 7 and pitman 8 are a pair of oil-cups 13 and14, the former discharging into oil-ducts which lead the oil exterior ofthe pump-rod for the lubrication of the box 12 and the latterdischarging around the wrist 9 and into a longitudinal oil-duct 15 inthe pitman 8, said duct being provided for the conveyance of oil to thewrist pin 10, whereby the oil-cup 14 serves to lubricate the wristconnection at each end of the pitman. The extended bearing provided forthe shaft 5 within the housing 4 is designed to be lubricated through apair of upstanding oilpipes 16 and 17, the upper ends of which aredisposed a considerable distance above the horizontal plane of theoil-cup 13 when the pump-rod is at the highest limit of its stroke, andat such elevation these oil-pipes constitute a support for anoil-distributing head 18, preferably of cylindrical form and providedwith an enlarged base 19 at its lower end and with a reduced upstandingstem 20, extending from its upper extremity.

The base 19 is provided in its upper side with a series of oil-chambers21, communieating with the upper ends of the pipes 16 and 17, screwed tothe base, and with pendent oil-pipes 22 and 23, likewise screwed to thebase and having their lower ends arranged above the oil-cups 13 and 14for the purpose of supplying oil thereto from the chambers 21, it beingobserved that each of the several oil-pipes is arranged in communicationwith a separate distributing-chamber of the distributing-head.

In order to supply each distributing-chamber with a predeterminedquantity of oil, the head 18 is provided with a series ofmeasuring-chambers 24, each of which is arranged opposite adistributing-chamber 21,into which under certain conditions it isdesigned to dis-.

charge its contents. The flow of oil into and out of themeasuring-chambers is controlled by what may be termed a valve-sleeve25, surrounding the head above the chambers 24 and carrying an oil tankor reservoir 26, from which in one position of the valve-sleeve the oilis discharged into the measuring-chambers 24 through a series ofopenings 27, which pierce the sleeve 25 in a plane which pre sents themimmediately below the upper Wall of the chambers 24 when thevalve-sleeve is in its entirely-depressed position, asindicated in Fig.2 of the drawings. In this position of its ,sleeve its lower edge willbe seated upon an annular seat 28, formed upon the face of the head 18immediately above the chambers 21, the egress of oil from the chambers2t being thus prevented and communication being established between saidchambers and the reservoir for the purpose of recharging themeasuring-chambers preparatory to supplying the distributing chambers21.

The position of the parts just described is that normally assumed duringthe distribution of oil from the distributing-chambers to the variousbearings of the windmill or other mechanism designed to be lubricated,and for the purpose of maintaining this relation of the parts a spiralor other form of spring 29 is interposed between the upper end or head30 of the valve-sleeve 25 and a nut 31, located upon the upper end ofthe stem 20. The spring 29 is thus caused to exert a constant pressuretending to depress or seat the valve-sleeve 25, and this pressure isaugmented by the weight of the reservoir 26 and the contents thereof.

Supposing now that the oil-supply in the distributing-chambers 21 isexhausted, it is evident that some means must be provided for elevatingthe sleeve 25 for the purpose of permitting the oil from themeasuring-chambers 24.- to flow into and replenish the supply of thedistributing-chambers. I therefore provide a bracket 32, outstandingfrom the base of the head and pivotally supporting a fulcrum-arm 33,upon the upper end of which is fulcrumed an operating-lever 34,pivotally connected to the sleeve 25 and designed to be actuated throughthe medium of a flexible piece 35, extending downwardly to within easyreach of an operator standing upon the ground or upon the lower platformof the windmill. In order to prevent the flexible piece or cable 35 frombecoming entangled in the operative parts of the mill as the latterswings around to bring the wheel into the wind, I lead said cablethrough the pump rod housing 2, which constitutes the swivelmounting forthe head of the mill, or that portion thereof which supports the wheel.The distributing-chambers 21 are preferably protected from the weatherby an annular shield 36, extending from the sleeve 25, and the oil-cupsand adjacent parts of the mechanism are similarly protected by asubstantially semispherical hood 37, secured to the under side of thehead 18.

The operation of my device is as follows: Assuming the parts to be inthe position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and that thedistributing-chambers 21 have been emptied of their contents by the flowof oil through the several oil-pipes, the attendant pulls upon the cordor cable 35, depressing the outer end of the lever 34 and raising thevalve-sleeve 25 against the resistance of the spring 23 and the imposedweight of the reservoir and its contents. As the valve-sleeve iselevated the openings 27 will be raised above the measuring-chambers 24:to cut off communication between the latter and the reservoir. At thesame time the lower edge of the sleeve will be elevated above the loweredges of the measuring-chambers to establish communication between themand the distributing-chambers 21, which latter are in this mannersupplied with a quantity of oil determined by the size of themeasuringchambers. The distributing-chambers having been replenished thecable 35 is released to permit the reseating of the valve-sleeve 25under the impulse of the spring 29 and the weight of the reservoir andoil, which latter again flows through the openings 27 and refills themeasuring-chambers24 for a repetition of the operation just described.

The advantages accruing from the employment of an oil or lubricatingdevice constructed in accordance with my invention are many, principalamong which is that it makes provision for the oiling of the mill for anextended period, even for years, without necessity for refilling thereservoir.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have produced a simple,ingenious, and efiicient oiling device for windmills or other forms ofmachinery; but while the present embodiment of my invention appears atthis time to be preferable, I wish to reserve the right to effect suchchanges, modifications, and variations as may fall properly within thescope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, thecombination with a distributing-head provided with adistributing-chamber, and with a measuring-chamber arranged to dischargetherein, of a source of oil-supply, oildelivering pipes supporting thedistributinghead, and means for efiecting the flow of oil alternatelyinto the measuring-chamber from the source of supply and into thedistributingchamber from the measuring-chamber.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with a distributing-chamber and with ameasuring-chamber arranged to discharge therein, of a source ofoil-supply; and means for permitting the oil to flow alternately intothe measuring-chambers from the source of supply and into thedistributingchambers from the measuring-chamber.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with distributing chambers andmeasuring-chambers, of a reservoir, and a valve controlling both thesupply of oil to the measuring-chambers and the delivery of oil fromsaid chambers to the distributingchambers.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with achambered distributing-head, of a valve controlling the flow of oil tosaid head, and a reservoir carried by and movable with the valve.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with distributing-chambers andmeasuring-chambers, of a valve controlling the flow of oil to both ofsaid chambers, and a reservoir carried by and movable With the valve.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with distributing chambers andmeasuring-chambers, of a movable valvesleeve surrounding the head andcontrolling the supply of oil to all of the chambers, and means forsupplying oil to the measuringchambers through the valve-sleeve.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with measuring-chambers and having anextended base provided with distributing=chambers, of a valve-sleevesurrounding the head above the base, means for normally retaining thevalve-sleeve in its depressed position, and means for supplying oil tothe measuring-chambers in the normal position of the valve-sleeve.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided With measuring-chambers and having anextended base provided with distributing-chambers, of a valve-sleevesurrounding the head above the base and provided with openingspermitting the ingress of oil to the measuring-chambers, and a reservoircarried by and movable with the valve-sleeve and designed to supply oilthrough the openings therein.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing-head provided with measuring-chambers and having anextended base provided with distributing-chambers, of a valve-sleevesurrounding the head and provided with openings disposed opposite themeasuring-chambers in the normal position of the sleeve, a reservoirarranged to supply oil to the measuringchambers, and a shield extendingfrom the valve-sleeve and serving to cover and protect thedistributing-chambers.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with adistributing head provided with measuring chambers and an extended baseformed with distributing=cham bers, of a stem upstanding from the upperend of the head, a valve-sleeve surrounding the head and provided withopenings located opposite the distributing chambers in the normalposition of the valve, a spring surrounding the stem and bearing againstthe valve-sleeve, and a reservoir carried by and movable with thevalve-sleeve.

11. In a device of the character described,

